Lions, tigers and - dinosaurs? Oh my! Welcome to the one the world's greatest exhibitions on natural history. With something for everyone, visitors can spend days exploring endless halls of glittering ...Read more

minerals, ancient cultures and extinct beasts. Don't miss the cursed Hope Diamond, the living coral reef within the sparkling new Ocean Hall, and thousands of living creepy crawlies at the Insect Zoo. Tired of touring? Stop in at the inviting cafe and museum shop or take in a awe-inspiring 3-D film on the enormous screen of the Samuel C. Johnson IMAX Theater.

Reviews

Map

Nearby

Write Review

Member Reviews(266)

Reviews

9.4/10

Wonderful!

5

4

3

2

1

Sort by

Most Helpful

Most Helpful

Most Recent

Show Local Reviews

Danny Nguyễn

Covina

Apr 21, 2019

There are a lot of exhibitions to see and check out. Definitely a good 1-2 hours should suffice for walking around and seeing everything. I do like the Hope Diamond exhibit here!

Helpful

Report

TS C

Apr 14, 2019

So much great stuff see here. We tired out before we finished. Our family especially loved the Q?rius exhibit which has countless drawers of natural specimens (fossils, rocks, plants, insects, bones) that kids can examine under the microscope and scan for more in-depth info.

Recommended for:Budget TravellersFamily Travellers

Helpful

Report

Caroline Starborg

Arlington

Aug 26, 2018

Alot of interesting things to see and to, great for kids! We spent nearly 4 hours in the museum and still didn't have time to see everything. Loved the butterfly room!

Recommended for:Budget TravellersFamily Travellers

Helpful

Report

Julie Neuman

Monroe

Aug 02, 2018

The price is right, It's free! Loved all the exibits. I could have stayed all day if my family would have let me!!

Recommended for:Budget TravellersHistory BuffsAdventure Travellers

Helpful

Report

Alyssa Collier

New York City

May 25, 2018

Unfortunately the animals didn't come to life but it's still a fantastic museum. Even better than what you see in the movie. The galleries are very eclectic and there's always something new and different with each visit.

Recommended for:Family TravellersHistory Buffs

Helpful

Report

William Harlan

Richmond

May 07, 2018

Great museum to visit with changing exibits always changing to make a new experience

Recommended for:Budget TravellersFamily Travellers

Helpful

Report

Celeste Gonzalez

Local from Washington, D.C.

Jan 23, 2018

Free as it is a Smithsonian! Really cool display of gems. Go see the Hope Diamond.

This is the coolest place! You need an entire day to truly enjoy it. We only had a few hours and are planning a trip back. Just amazing. Plan to stand in a fast moving line through security before going in. But this is a must!!!!

I have been here multiple times with family. My kids always enjoy the diamonds and minerals area and the giant squid on the bottom floor. The building is also beautiful. So much to see and do here, and did i mention free.

Who wants to see a dinosaur? Seems like about 8 million people a year, second in world volume to only the Louvre in Paris as the most visited museum. Lots of school kids and groups wearing the same T-shirts make it very crowded in the summer. If you need a break from the crowds, try one of the 4D movies. Huge place and free so don't try to see it all in one visit. Or rest with an escape out to the Sculpture Garden for a break. It is across the street and not as crowded.

It's pretty fun! I would definitely recommend to anyone with a couple hours to spare.

Recommended for:Budget TravellersHistory Buffs

Helpful

Report

Meg

Charleston

Nov 16, 2016

You can easily spend half the day, if not the entire afternoon, in this museum. All of the Smithsonian museums have free admission and are definitely worth the stop.

Unfortunately, I only had a short weekend in the city. Next time, I plan on staying a bit longer and really getting to enjoy everything the museum has to offer.

Try visiting earlier in the morning on a weekday to avoid maximum crowds.

Recommended for:Family TravellersStudentsHistory Buffs

Helpful1

Report

Carol Thacker

Pineville

Jul 21, 2016

Soooo much to see. Wish we had much more time. Loved what I did get to see. Very interesting.

Recommended for:Family TravellersStudentsHistory Buffs

Helpful2

Report

Ashley Pisinski

Local from Washington, D.C.

Jun 23, 2016

Good place to take students to. They have a lot of things to see in the museum.

Recommended for:Family TravellersStudentsHistory Buffs

Helpful

Report

Tiffany Farley

Fulton

Jun 23, 2016

We had an awesome time! Loved the exhibits. This is a great place for families, groups, etc to venture to. Also it's FREE to go. Food is over priced in my opinion but hey it's Washington and tourist convenience price I get it.